Money and Postal Services

Banks
While most Fukuyama city JET ALTs prefer banking with Japan Post (ゆうちょ) because of its proximity to city hall, English ATMs, familiarity with setting up expats, and nationwide availability, an ALT can choose any bank of their preference. A city hall issued Proof of Address form and an updated Foreign Residence card (在留カード) are required for setting up a bank account.

ATMs
It may come as a surprise to many newcomers that most Japanese ATMs have strict (read: inconvenient) operating hours. For example, the standalone ATM in Honjocho area is only active from 08:00 to 17:00 on weekdays, 08:00-12:30 on Saturdays, and is closed on Sundays. Seven-Eleven ATMs are open 24/7 but charge a withdrawal fee.

Post Offices
JapanPost used to be operated by the federal government but was privatized in 2007 after a major political battle. Fukuyama's largest post office is conveniently located adjacent to city hall. This location is open from 9am to 7pm on weekdays, 9am to 3pm Saturdays, and is closed on Sundays. It  also has full JP banking services. There are many smaller JP offices scattered around the city (and country) though many do not have banking services other than a JP Bank ATM.

Remittance
Some ALTs need to send money back to their home countries regularly. There are many options available, but the most popular choices currently among Fukuyama ALTs are GoRemit, Transferwise, and JP Bank Remittance. Click these links for more information on GoRemit and Transferwise  . JP Bank Remittance requires paperwork to be filled out on each occasion.

An important thing to check before coming to Japan is whether or not your current bank account accepts international remittances. It is also worth mentioning that you may be blocked from sending large (￥100000+) amounts of money internationally until you have been in Japan for 6 months.